Waiting To Sail

Philadelphia
April 15, 1919

Dear Mother,

Two letters came yesterday -- one written on the 11th and one on the 12th.

The ship is now in commission but we don't go aboard til after payday. Payday comes on Easter Sunday and I surely hope they pay us before rather than after the 20th. If not, they will have a big bunch on hand for Easter dinner.

Boone has never paid me -- of course, he doesn't know my address now, but I'm going to write to him this morning and tell him a thing or two. I can't wait all year on him.

Father and you both need a vacation, and as soon as I get out and get working, I'm going to see that you both go off and stay a while. Peace ought to be signed in a month or so -- hope it is so, anyway.

When I got back I dropped Gretchen Ames a note, and got a long letter back from her.

It has been raining unsteadily for the last two days and turned a little colder.

Our baseball team won again on a wet diamond. We beat the Barney crew 8-3.

Came down to the recreation center last night and saw professional vaudeville. They put on pretty good stuff here on Tuesday nights.

Am going swimming with the bunch in a few minutes, after taking a good shower. I brought clean underwear in my pocket so I can change when I bathe.

Got a letter from Ethel Mae Gilliland the other day. She is more than pleased with Henrietta.

Whenever it's warm we take long walks around the yard, "inspecting" the battle wagons, subs, etc. Two more battleships, the Alabama and another one came in from Cuba the day before yesterday. Weldon Younce is on the Minnesota, and she may come back in here, so I may see him. It left on the 12th of March when I was at home, but I could have seen him before that if I had known. I like to meet fellows I have known before, whether I was intimate with them or not.

I hope Father gets to feeling better as spring comes -- if he doesn't get the hay fever, he will, I'm sure.

Saw a man crushed between two streetcars the other night, but he was conscious when they carried him away, so don't know whether he died or not.

Your affectionate son,
Heywood

(Postmarked Philadelphia, April 16, 1919)